


Someone to Watch Over Me

by erney007



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben is so supportive, Comfort Sex, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Humiliation, Ice Skating, Love at First Sight, Mutual Pining, POV Ben Solo, Pole Dancing, Rey is a stripper but not a hooker, Reylo Valentines Exchange 2019, Rian Johnson is a good kid, Sexual Harassment, Single mom Rey, Soft Ben Solo, Strong mother Rey, They found Love, teacher in elementary school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2019-11-06 13:53:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17940956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erney007/pseuds/erney007
Summary: She faces all the hardship to make a better life for her child, all on her own.Could he be the one to save her? The one she could trust with all her heart and soul.





	1. Someone to look for me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RogueCompanion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueCompanion/gifts).



> Modern AU: Rey is a single mother whose school-aged child is in Mr. Ren/Solo’s class. The two meet at a parent-teacher conference and all Kylo/Ben can think about is how much he wants to take care of them both, wants to be a daddy to both of them (obviously in vastly different ways).  
> I was inspired by the song "Rockabye" by Clean Bandit feat Sean-Paul, Anne-Marie. Great song.  
> It will be happy, I promise!

 

 

Floating on the ice rink is like a meditation.

 

It made him calm, focused, and balanced.

 

Ben Solo glided along the thin layer of ice, hands in the pocket of his coat. Even though it was still early in autumn, and the temperature in the air above the rink wasn’t that cold, it was still fairly chilly in the rink.

 

“You should join us, Ben,” Paige Tico, a retired figure skater who taught a skating class greeted him when he glided nearby.

 

“Nah, I think I’ll pass.” Ben shook his head politely. A group of young girls giggled as they got on the ice and glided toward Paige.

 

As he made a turn at the corner, Ben noticed a small figure on the bleachers. Curiously, he glided closer and saw that there was a boy, about elementary school age, with brown hair and a backpack beside him.

 

“Rian?” Ben recalled. “Rian Johnson?”

 

The boy noticed him too, and waved his hand slightly at Ben.

 

Ben was a teacher. He taught an art class in school, and this boy was one of his students. Rian was one of the smallest children in the class, and usually wore something bought at the thrift shop, but were still in style. Ben tried to remember all his student’s names, but Rian was quite memorable.

 

“What are you doing here?” Ben glanced at his watch as he skated up to the edge of the rink. It was almost 5.30 pm.

 

“I’m waiting for my mom,” Rian replied. “She is going to pick me up at 5.30 pm at the bus stop, but it’s cold outside. I’d better wait in here until then”

 

Obviously, it’s much colder inside.

 

“Do you like skating?” Ben asked.

 

“Kind of.”

 

“Wanna join me?”

 

“I don’t know how to skate,” Rian replied. “But I like watching them do the spins. My mom does that all the time.”

 

“Really?” Ben quirked his eyebrow.

 

“Can you do the spins?”

 

“I could,” Ben replied. “But not as good as Miss Tico. I used to play ice hockey.”

 

“Oh.” The boy sounded interested.

 

“Interested?” Ben asked, looking at Rian and smiling.

 

“No,” The boy replied, shrugging his shoulders. “There are dozens of Ryan’s who play ice hockey. It would be more confusing if I join them.”

 

Ben couldn’t help giggling at how innocent, yet sharp-witted, this boy was. Rian smiled at him, the small dimples on his cheeks making him look adorable.

 

“You need a teacher,” Ben slid his feet backward, making a slight turn. “I can show you how to skate.”

 

“I…” Rian widened his eyes with excitement, but then he deflated. “I don’t have money.”

 

“It’s not that expensive.” Tekka Ice Rink didn’t cost that much, and the owner had kept the ice rink in very good condition - “For the kids,” Mr. Tekka always said.

 

“It is,” Rian replied. “I’d better just sit here and watch.”

 

“Let me tell you something, kid,” Ben glided back to the fence, leaning in to speak to the boy. “When you really want something, just ask, and know that it’s not always up to you whether you are going to get it or not. But if you’ve never asked, you are definitely not going to get it. So, let me ask you again, do you want to skate or not?”

 

There was a slight hesitation, but then Rian replied. “Yes!”

 

“Very well.” Ben smiled. “When do we start?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

One Friday, in the late afternoon, there was a call for Ben to come to the Principal’s office over the overhead intercom.

 

“What happened?” Ben asked with worry as the secretary admitted him to Mr. Skywalker’s office.

 

“Sit down, please, Mr. Solo.” Luke Skywalker, the Principal of Ahch-To Elementary School said. His voice was formal and professional, even though he was Ben’s biological uncle.

 

As soon as Ben took his seat, a pair of beautiful legs suddenly caught his eyes in the chair next to him.

 

“Ms.Johnson, this is Mr. Solo, the art teacher at our school.”

 

“Hi.” The woman sitting next to him extended her hand. “I’m Rey Johnson.”

 

His heart pounded in his chest when his eyes met hers. A pair of bright hazel eyes stared at him, politely, yet so intense that it sent shivers down his spine.

 

“We were informed that you have spent some time after school with Rian Johnson during this last month without his mother knowing about it,” Luke said.

 

“There’s really nothing to that,” Ben replied. “I usually go to Tekka Ice Rink, it’s my hobby. I met Rian there one afternoon when he was waiting for his Mom to pick him up, and he said he wanted to learn how to skate, so I started teaching him.”

 

“He never told me about this,” Rey said as she focused on Luke once more.

 

“Rian was involved in a brawl with the older children this afternoon,” Luke said. “From the information I got, Rian was insulted for having a passion for figure skating. Doing such girly things, they said.”

 

“That’s rude,” Ben said sadly. He knew a bunch of people who were figure skaters and were totally fine with their sexuality. “He’s gifted, and a quick learner. His posture and balance are pretty good for a boy of his age.”

 

“I would like you to stop whatever you are doing,” Rey said solemnly, but Ben could sense a tremble in her voice. “We are trying to live our lives as peacefully as we can. I would like us to keep a low profile and for him to finish school and have good opportunities for his future, whether he would like to continue in higher education or just begin to work.”

 

“He’s a good kid, I can tell you that,” Ben reassured her, giving her a warm smile as he looked at her “ I do wonder, though - Rian is not the type to pick a fight with anyone. I’ve only seen him in my art class and at the rink, but I know he is very generous and kind to everyone.”

 

“He is,” Rey agreed, giving Ben a tight smile in return. She tried to raise her son with good values and morals.

 

“He was waiting for you while I taught him how to skate,” Ben explained. “He would be at the ice rink for about half an hour, until 5 when you came to pick him up. Miss Tico’s skating class is there at the same time, so you wouldn’t have to worry about whether I would do something weird to him, I have no intention other than being a good friend and a positive mentor for Rian.” Ben looked at Rey, his voice soft and kind as he spoke.

 

“I found a pair of skates in his backpack. He had hidden them from me. I guess they were given to him by you?” Rey asked.

 

“They are an old pair, but still functional and they fit him perfectly,” Ben explained after nodding in answer to Rey’s question.

 

“I will have him return them to you,” Rey said. “Thank you so much for your kindness, Mr. Solo. But please, we… I don’t have much extra money, and for him to continue with this would take whatever extra I do have - and I can’t rely on someone else for it.”

 

“It’s totally fine, Ms. Johnson. I’d be happy to help,” Ben insisted, giving her another kind smile. “Rian really loves skating. I was the same way when I was his age, and I know how happy it made me.”

 

Ben saw something flicker in her eyes, like she was going to cry, but instead, Rey got a hold of her emotions and remained calm.

 

“Ms. Johnson has another appointment, and her son is waiting outside,” Luke interrupted, looking between both of them. “We shouldn’t waste your time any longer, Ms. Johnson. Have a nice day.”

 

Nodding to both men, Rey said goodbye and left the room. Ben gazed at her until the door closed behind her. She was tall and so slim… almost too skinny. Her brunette hair was tied into a messy bun, and made her look younger than most of the mothers with school-aged children. Her slow and graceful way of moving made Ben think of how her son moved on the ice when he was skating, with perfect balance. Like mother, like son.

 

“I still don’t understand,” Ben turned back to his uncle. “Why was I summoned here? And why does she want her son to quit skating? He is talented! I want to help him learn!”

 

“After insulting Rian for ice skating, the boys said mean things about his mother. Rian was humiliated,” Luke said quietly. “I can’t give you any more details about that, but Ms. Johnson believes that if it wasn’t for Rian ice skating, he wouldn’t have been bullied like that. Rian is the type of child who would endure everything done to him in silence, until someone tried to harm the person he loves most.”

 

“I think that is true of almost everyone,” Ben replied to his uncle.

 

“Please, Ben. Just do what she wants. Rian is her child, not yours.” Luke said. “I’m glad to know that you are still skating after that _incident_ in Canada.”

 

When he was in college, Ben was trained in the First Order, a prestigious academy for ice hockey, with a world class team led by a tyrannical coach named Snoke. Snoke had helped him polish his skills, had pushed him over his limits, and, ultimately, to his success. It went well for six years before Ben got injured in a game, and Snoke quickly threw him aside after finding that Ben would never be able to play as well as he once had. To this day, sometimes Ben still felt a pain in his right shoulder from the injury.

 

“Skating and hockey were a part of my life for so long that they still make me feel peaceful inside when I’m on the ice,” Ben said softly, meeting his Uncle’s eyes across the wooden desk.

 

“I don’t know how. You were like a beast during those hockey games.” Luke let out a chuckle, then he turned serious once more. “Look, Ben, I’m not asking you to refrain from keeping the boy company. Ms. Johnson is a single mom, and Rian could use you for a father figure, for a while.”

 

“Really? You don’t think that is a bad decision?” Ben asked, running a hand through his hair and letting out a sigh. He couldn’t deny that he enjoyed spending time training Rian, and their budding friendship.

 

A thought came to him then. If he ever had the opportunity to have a child of his own, he would love them to be like Rian.

 

“Who knows?” Luke slightly quirked his lips upward, putting on his glasses, and going back to reading whatever document that was on his desk, Luke’s way of indirectly telling Ben that he could leave now.

 

***

 

Walking out of Luke’s office, Ben spotted Rian and his mother on the sidewalk in front of the building. Something nudged him inside and he quickly made his way to the entrance of the school, hoping to catch the pair before they left the campus. By the time he went outside, they were already at the bus stop across the street.

 

Ben was going to run across the street, but the pedestrian light turned red, and the nearest car gave him a honk, warning him not to get in its way.

 

The sound caught her attention, and Rey Johnson turned her head and spotted him.

 

Her eyes widened a little as their eyes met. _She was breathtaking_ , Ben thought to himself. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, his face coloring as he realized he was staring at her. Her bright face was surrounded by locks of dark brown hair that had loosened from her bun at the back of her head, and she had sharp eyebrows over round, expressive hazel eyes, along with pink, plush lips that parted a little as she looked back at him. Her coat fit perfectly on her petite figure. She was holding Rian’s hand, who reluctantly sent him a smile and a tiny wave with his free hand.

 

The bus drove up, and the spell was broken as he lost sight of them.

 

The bus stopped to let passengers on, and Ben grunted in frustration as he saw they were gone from the bus stop now. The pedestrian light turned green, so he decided to run across the street to see if he could locate them once again.

 

By the time he reached the other side of the street, the bus had closed its doors and started to drive away - and there was no one left at the bus stop.

 

 

* * *

 


	2. Someone to give me a place to go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When he met her again for the second time, he wouldn’t let her her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of your kind comments in the previous chapter. This story is intended for fluff and more fluff, but there is some angst as well. I’ll try my best to make up for the angst with more fluffs, I promise!
> 
> Enjoy!

 

Saturday and Sunday had passed, and Ben still couldn’t clear his mind off Ms. Johnson and her child.  _ Her name is Rey _ , he remembered. As he wasn’t Rian’s homeroom teacher, Ben didn’t have any deeper background information about the boy rather than his learning ability is normal and he had no allergies. He didn’t know about his family, or his mother, who had somehow made his heart uncomfortably bloom in his chest.

 

He didn’t even know where they lived.

 

Ben waited enthusiastically for Monday to come, something that he had never done before, and when it arrived the first thing he wanted to do was to look for Rian Johnson for a reason he wasn’t quite certain.

 

_ Hi, how are you? And how about your mom? _

 

_ Weird _ . That’s just weird, Ben. You can’t do that.

 

_ Inappropriate _ . His uncle would say - and Luke would be right.

 

What would she look like when she walked her son to school? What color would she wear today? Last time they met she had on light makeup that made her look naturally young, and Ben kind of liked it, he was  _ captivated _ by it. By  _ her _ .

 

_ My mom does spins all the time _ , Rian had told him. What kind of spins? Was she a skater? A ballerina? Or a dancer who practices at home and has her son watch her performances? Rian was so good at using appropriate words when talking to an adult, maybe that’s why.

 

“Knock knock knock, you are spacing out again.” Jessika, his fellow teacher, tapped his shoulder when she walked past him to her table, where there was a mountain of clay sculptures from her art class.

 

“Oh.” Ben jumped a little in surprise at the contact.

 

“Haven’t had your coffee yet?” Jessika asked, knowing how much Ben depended on coffee to start his day.

 

“I did have some.” Ben should be preparing for his classes, crayons or watercolors, which should he do?  _ Did Ms.Johnson - Rey - like water coloring? _

 

“You know Rian Johnson, right?” Jessika picked one of the clay pieces on her desk, a hand-sized sculpture that looked like a combination of kiwi and penguin, a child’s imagination was always interesting. “He didn’t come to school today. Do you know where he might be?”

 

“I don’t know.” Ben raised his eyebrows. “How do you know he’s absent?”

 

“He was absent from my class today.” Jessika replied. “I remember him because, you know, kids of this age like animals, and they would make basically everything into the animal they like. But for Rian, he made a figure of an ice skater.”

 

“Really?” Ben asked curiously.

 

“Yeah! Well, it’s not that good. I thought it was the tower of Pisa. Pfft. My bad.” Jessika let out a small laugh.

 

Knowing about Rian’s absence had plagued Ben’s thoughts for the rest of the afternoon. Rian’s homeroom teacher had called his mother, and she said he had a cold. Kids could easily catch a cold, but Ben’s instincts told him something was wrong.

 

* * *

 

 

 

At 5 pm, Ben found himself in front of Tekka Ice Rink.

 

“Hi there.” Mr.Tekka, the owner, peeked his head out of his small office inside the building. “Isn’t the young Rian with you?”

 

“He wasn’t at school today.” Ben paid the rental fee before asking, “Can I get a hockey stick, puck, and a goal?”

 

“Need something to cool your head?” Tekka chuckled. “Go ahead. You know exactly where I keep them.”

 

Ben didn’t put on his full pads, he hadn’t put them on for years now. But his hands still remembered how to handle the stick and the puck. After setting the goal on the far side of the rink, Ben began warming up with the basic drills. Old habits never died, and there was no skating class today, so he had the whole rink to himself.

 

He could have easily become an ice hockey coach. His skating was flawless and his techniques were still swift and invincible. Ben still had amazing puck handling skills, making the puck glide across the ice almost effortlessly. He could move fast, and even faster without the encumbrance of pads..

 

The bitterness of Snoke’s treatment of him after his injury had left Ben weary and questioning whether he could still play the game, so Ben kept it as his hobby for now on.

 

He was turning around one corner of the ice when a small voice called his name.

 

“Ben!” Rian walked along the aisle in the bleachers. “Err… I mean, Mr. Solo.”

 

“Oh hey! How are you doing?” The puck was forgotten about now, left alone to glide down the rink. Ben skated to where the boy stood. “I didn’t see you at school today. They said you were sick.”

 

“I’m fine.” Rian smiled. “Actually, I come here to return these.”

 

The boy pulled out a pair of familiar old ice skates from his backpack, and Ben noted that it was a larger backpack than his usual one.

 

“They’re yours. You don’t have to return them,” Ben replied.

 

“Please. We had an agreement.” Another voice interrupted him.

 

From the corner of his eye, Ben noticed a woman standing at the entrance of the rink.  _ Ms. Johnson _ . She was wearing a jacket, jeans, and sneakers. There were two large sports bags hanging from both sides of her shoulders - it looked like they were going on a trip.

 

“What happened?” Ben turned back to Rian. The boy wore the same type of clothes as his mother. “Are you going somewhere? Is everything alright?” Ben’s voice was tight with worry for them.

 

“We are moving out of our old apartment,” Ms.Johnson replied. “We had quite the busy today, I felt bad that Rian had to miss school.”

 

“And where are you moving to?” Ben asked, looking up at Rey.

 

“I…” she hesitated for a moment. “We have a place to go, don’t worry. Rian, put down the skates, we need to leave now.”

 

Rian put the skates down on one of the seats and zipped his backpack closed again. He walked back to his mother and took her hand. He looked back at Ben, giving him a small wave with his free hand before they hurried out of the building.

 

“Wait!” Ben tried to follow them, and for the first time in ages, he slipped and fell on the ice.

 

* * *

 

 

 

By the time he came out of the building, they were already at the bus stop.

 

Thank God it was on the same side of the street this time.

 

“Hey!” Ben hadn’t realized how long he had been inside the ice rink, and the light was quickly fading from the sky as he approached the pair “It’s getting dark now. Where are you planning to go?”

 

Ms. Johnson turned to him, her eyes narrowed because of the cold breeze that blew in her face.

 

“Sorry, Mr. Solo, but our business has nothing to do with you.” Rey’s voice was low as she finally answered him.

 

“Do you really have a place to go to?” Ben asked. “Seriously, it’s odd that you decided to move on a Monday, when your son had to skip school, and it’s…” he glanced down at his watch, “ seven thirty at night, and you still have your bags and stuff with you.”

 

Ms. Johnson took a deep breath, her eyes nervous before being replaced by a glare. “I’m going to stay at a friend’s place. Yes, you are right, Mr. Solo, we still have no place to go but we will, eventually.”

 

“My place is not far from here.” Ben replied without thinking. “I live alone, and there is plenty of room for you to stay until you can find a new place. It’s a nice neighborhood, quiet and safe.”

 

Rey didn’t react, standing absolutely still, her eyes slightly wide at his offer.

 

“And it’s not far from school.” Ben said. “About two blocks away, Rian could easily walk to school and I’d be more than happy to keep him company.”

 

Mentioning her son moved her. Ben could see the outer layers of her walls melting away when she looked at Rian, with love in her eyes. Her jaw clenched as if she was having a hard time making her decision.

 

“Could we..” Rian’s voice trembled a little from cold, and he looked up at his Mom. “Could we stay at his place?”

 

“Baby.” Rey’s voice was almost a whisper when she finally spoke around the lump in her throat. 

 

A bus pulled up to the bus stop. Passengers stepped off the bus, and a group of people who had been waiting got on.

 

“Are you coming?” The bus driver asked, his door still open.

 

Ms. Johnson hesitated for a moment. She looked at the bus, at her son, and at last, her eyes turned to Ben. He couldn’t read her eyes, she only showed a glimpse of her vulnerability when she looked at her son, but instantly hid her emotions deep down when she looked at him.

 

“We are leaving,” Her voice was firm as she answered the question. “With Mr. Solo.”

 

* * *

 

 

 

Ben had never been uncertain about his home before, until two guests were at his doorstep.

 

“My grandparents used to live here, but my parents prefer living in the suburbs over this.” He spoke as he led them to his guest room. “I don’t have much stuff, but if you want or need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

 

“This is more than sufficient.” Ms. Johnson looked around in awe as he showed her and Rian the guest room. “Mr. Solo, I…”

 

“Ben.” He put their bags down in front of the closet. “Please call me Ben.”

 

“Ben.” She repeated his name, letting it roll off her tongue like she found it to be pleasant to her, and she smiled. “I’m Rey.”

 

_ Rey _ .

 

Her hand reached out towards him again, like the first time they met. Almost like she was introducing herself again, this time not as Ms. Johnson, but as  _ Rey _ .

 

Ben touched her hand, and he was surprised that it wasn’t soft like he had imagined it being. Instead, her hands were strong, and he could feel calluses on her palm. Rey had obviously done hard work for some time now. Her hand was cold and small compared to his, but there was gentleness in the way she squeezed his hand a little before letting go.

 

His hand lingered in hers for a moment.

 

“I do have another room for Rian,if you want” Ben said, his cheeks warming a bit.

 

“You don’t have to,” Rey looked at her son, who had decided to claim the desk beside the window as his own, putting down his backpack in its chair. “We used to stay in the same room, sharing a bed. And you even have a bathroom connected to this room. This is… so… perfect.”

 

“You guys can stay here as long as you need to.” Ben said.

 

“Oh no, please, I couldn’t take your kindness for granted.” Rey shook her head. “I will try my best to find us a new place so we won’t bother you anymore. And thank you so much for your kindness.”

 

“Rey.” Ben touched her arm, suddenly causing her to flinch. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!”

 

“It’s okay. I’m just… not used to it.” Rey said softly, her eyes looking away from him.

 

It almost seemed like she felt disgusted by the way she unconsciously touched her arm where he just did, even though she was still wearing her jacket. But she didn’t scrub it off, her fingers just lingered there, like she wasn’t expecting to be touched.

 

She looked… lost.

 

“Mom!” Rian called to Rey from the bathroom. “There’s a bathtub! We have a bathtub!”

 

“It’s not ours, darling,” Rey sent him a soft smile.

 

“But you can use it,” Ben said. “I don’t have any toiletries in therel, but if you want to, I can buy some on the way home from school tomorrow.”

 

“Yes!” Rian remarked, grinning.

 

“Rian! You shouldn’t bother him like that!” Rey said to her son.

 

“No! Really, It’s fine.” Ben told her as her son gave them both a confused look.

 

Rey took a deep breath, regaining her composure, before saying, “It’s late, dear, you need to get a shower so we can go to bed. You have to be up early for school tomorrow.”

 

Rian smiled and rummaged through his backpack, pulling out a night shirt and pajamas, toothbrush and toothpaste, before disappearing behind the bathroom door.

 

“I don’t want to spoil him too much,” Rey slowly turned back to Ben. “I will be honest with you. We don’t have much money, and I still struggle every day to earn a living for both of us. Rian is a good kid and I want the best for him; however, he has to learn what he can and can’t do.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“Of course you do,” She blushed a little. “My bad. Who am I to teach such thing to a teacher?”

 

“You have every right to. I don’t have kids, myself, and you’re trying to raise him right.”

 

“Thank you for everything.” Rey smiled at him. “You have done a lot for us.”

 

“You’re welcome.” Ben replied, “and goodnight.”

 

He turned and left the room, leaving them to themselves in their new home - for the time being.

 

 

* * *


	3. Someone to be there for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben finally knows where Rey works at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please mind the tags! This is a quite disturbing chapter and if it would be a trigger for you, you may skipped it the the end note, I will summarize what is happening here for you.
> 
> Thanks to my beta for her amazing edit as always. <3
> 
> Thanks to fettuccine-alfreylo for the lovely moodboard, I love it!
> 
> The road to healing will soon start after this, I promise!

“You are so good at spins,” Ben said, ”Also the jumps and twists, you are just seven years old and you can do much more than I could when I was your age. I bet you will be able to do better jumps than me in no time!”

 

”Miss Tico asked me again today if I wanna join her class, ” Rian replied, ”I would love to, but Mom may not agree with me.”

 

”I will talk to her about that, ” Ben patted Rian’s shoulder, ”There must be scholarship funds for figure skating lessons somewhere. Maybe I will look into it more.”

 

Almost two weeks had passed since Ben had welcomed the pair into his townhouse. Every day he and Rian would walk together to school, then they would practice at the ice rink after school before returning home.

 

”Hi, how was your day?” Rey peeked out from the kitchen as they walked through the front door.

 

”Good. And how are you?” Ben still hadn’t registered the fact that he wasn't alone anymore, and that there was someone who waited for him to get home, but this realization warmed his heart every time he thought about it.

 

”Just fine,” Rey answered with a shrug. ”I still couldn't find a place for us to rent.”

 

”You can stay here as long as you want.” Ben’s eyes followed Rian as the boy walked past him to hug his mother, who bent down and kissed his forehead and guided him into the kitchen. ”You must be  so busy - to have time to take off from work to look for something isn’t easy.”

 

”Well, Jakku is not a high-class bar or restaurant, but the food is not that bad and it welcomes everyone, so basically, I'm pretty busy when I’m there, but I went out on my lunch break to look.” Rey had prepared a glass of milk and some cookies for Rian, and she set them on the table. ”Speaking of which, didn't you tell me a couple days ago that your friend is coming to town, and you are going to hang out with them tonight?”

 

”Yeah.” Ben answered.

 

”Then I’ll have to get a babysitter to stay with Rian.” Rey sighed quietly.

 

”Mom, I can stay by myself.” Rian looked up at his mother. ”It’s only one night, I’ll be fine. In our old apartment I stayed alone every night, remember?”

 

Rey glanced at Ben with terror in her eyes, ”But it was an apartment, not a house.”

 

Ben was about to answer - he was going to say that it was fine since he used to stay home alone during his childhood, too. But he knew that Rian must remain respectful to his mother’s authority, so he decided to stay silent, shaking his head lightly when Rian turned to him for support.

 

”Mr.Tevson and his family live across the street, ” Ben said, ”I’ll ask him if he could stay with Rian until his bedtime. Don't worry, I won't be out very late.”

 

Rey had to work both day and night. She would send Rian off to school in the morning before going to work as a waitress at Jakku - a bar in the bad area of downtown. After the morning shift, she would be back home for a couple hours before heading to another workplace - where she would work until past midnight before returning home.  Rey had never told him the name of her second job, though.

 

She worked really hard for a living, “ _ For my boy, _ ” she used to tell him, “ _ He is going to have a good life, and I’m going to do whatever I have to do. _ ”

 

 

* * *

 

“How are you doing today?” Hux asked over his mug of beer.

 

“Bored,” Poe answered, “Nothing could compare to our glory days.”

 

“You mean those days when I got to kick your ass on the rink?” Hux smirked.

 

“Damn! Man, so uncool.” Poe laughed out loud.

 

Armitage Hux and Poe Dameron were Ben’s two closest friends from the past. Hux played on the same team as Ben, and Poe played on the First Order’s biggest rival team, the Resistance. They were quite competitive, but as they grew older, they became close. Poe now worked for a sports equipment company here, and Hux was a lawyer in LA who had come into town for a business trip.

 

“Are you still teaching at the elementary school?” Hux turned to Ben, “You could be a coach for a team in one of the professional leagues.”

 

“I don’t feel like doing that,” Ben took a sip of beer from his mug, “I feel pretty content these days. I like being a teacher.”

 

“Come on, you are still in good shape!” Poe nudged him, laughing, “Look at my Dad bod!”

 

“Lame.” Hux chuckled as he watched his friends.

 

Ben didn’t hang out much, even though he had made some good friends at work, he still felt like a fish out of water most days. The world seemed to be slower and peaceful without the heated competition in the ice rink, which was exciting yet suffocating. Having someone who had the same experiences to hang out with helped to lift his spirits.

 

It seemed like both Hux and Poe had already moved on and were happy with their lives, it was him who still needed to figure out where he belonged.

 

At first, Ben thought it was going to be a later night than he had planned, but since Hux had an early meeting in the morning, they decided to call it a night at about 11 pm.

 

The three were on their way to Hux’s hotel when Ben heard the sounds of shouting and crying from a nearby alley. Hux and Poe heard it as well because they abruptly stopped walking, all three men looking at each other.

 

“Did you hear that?” Poe frowned, “Someone is screaming.”

 

“Sounds like a woman,” Ben said as he rushed in the direction where the sounds came from.

 

He had a bad feeling about this.

 

The sounds were coming from an alley behind one of the nightclub buildings, with only dim light from the street lights. Foul smells from dumpsters and garbage bins made his nose wrinkle. An engine and horns honking were heard from the street at the other end of the alley, along with music from the nightclub thumping loudly.

 

As Ben turned around the corner, there was a loud thud and a small figure was thrown out from behind the door, face first on the filthy ground.

 

“Go away, you whore!” An obese man with a rough voice yelled, a dark tote bag and a worn jacket following the woman to the ground, things scattering out of the bag and covering the pavement.

 

“It’s not my fault!” A small voice, a woman’s, barked back. She tried to stumble onto her hands and knees. “That customer harassed me first, Unkar, I just protecting myself!”

 

“There is no such thing as harassment. You agreed to do this job when I hired you!”

 

“Hey! What’s going on here?” Ben shouted.

 

Upon hearing his voice, both people turned to look at him. The man was about middle aged, his face twisted with anger, and the woman, she was in black lace lingerie, along with garter belt, leather choker, fishnet stocking, and high heels - dressed like a hooker. Her makeup was a mess, and she…

 

_ She looks like Rey _ ... Ben thought to himself as the woman came into the light a bit more.

 

“Rey?” His eyes widened in shock, and hers as well as they both saw each other. 

 

“B-Ben?” She sputtered, terror filling her eyes.

 

“You know her?” The man named Unkar asked, “Take her away then, we don’t need her anymore!”

 

Still on her knees, Rey turned back to Unkar, “What do you mean?”

 

“You’re fired!” Unkar said.

 

Ben could literally see how those words hit her. Regaining his senses, Ben quickly removed his jacket and rushed to Rey, covering her exposed body with it and winding his arm around her shoulders.

 

“You can’t do that!” Rey shouted at Unkar, “You didn’t even pay me last month!”

 

“Because you didn’t behave!”

 

“Hey! Cut that out!” Ben couldn’t tolerate this any longer.

 

“Don’t you dare stick your nose into our business!” Unkar pointed a finger at him in warning.

 

“Hey, do you need a lawyer?” Hux soon followed Ben, eyeing Unkar with derision.

 

“Not a good idea, pal.” Poe followed after them, looking over at Ben and Rey. “Hey, you guys OK?”

 

Seeing himself being outnumbered, with one of the newcomers being a lawyer, Unkar decided that it was no use arguing anymore.

 

“Take her away, and never come back!” He said before pulling the door closed, the banner hanging there giving Ben the name of the nightclub finally: The Niima Outpost.

 

_ A strip club. _

 

A sob broke the silence. Rey collapsed completely now onto the dirty concrete, her whole body trembling frantically. Another sob came out, and she was done for.

 

“Rey,” Ben pulled her close into his arms. Still shocked by the situation, he couldn’t muster any words to comfort her.

 

“That man is a dirty pig, he is disgusting,” Having been in this town since childhood, Poe knew a lot about Unkar Plutt and his awful business. “Ben, do you know her?”

 

“Yes.” His instinct told him that he didn’t have to explain anything to his friend, not yet. Rey was clearly vulnerable at this moment. “I’m going to head back home first.”

 

“Sure, let me call a taxi for you.” Poe replied, heading off to the street and pulling his phone out of his pocket.

 

“Call me if you need any help,” Hux said, looking between both Ben and Rey - his words were meant for Rey to hear, too.

 

“Thanks, man.” Ben nodded.

 

 

* * *

  
  


By the time the taxi came, Rey was calm enough to get on her feet and gather her belongings. Ben nodded his thanks to Poe and Hux - they didn’t look at Rey judgingly when she walked past them, her eyes on the ground, to get into the taxi. She was silent all the way back to his home.

 

It almost midnight now, and Rian shouldn’t see his mother in such a state. Ben’s other guest room was still covered in dust, so he took her to his bedroom instead.

 

“I will find something for you to wear, feel free to use my bathroom,” he sat her down on the edge of his bedas he spoke. Rummaging through his drawers, he pulled out a fresh towel, a cotton tank top, and pajamas that were probably too large for her.

 

That’s when he heard her sobbing again.

 

Rey was sitting where he left her, still tugging his jacket around her to cover herself, her shoes dropped on the floor. Her back hunched as she curled up in shame. She tried in vain to bite back her tears, failing miserably.

 

“Rey!” Ben rushed to her side, pulling her into his arms.

 

Her whole body stiffened at first, like she was surprised, afraid, or just unfamiliar to the touch.

 

A moment later, she broke down even more.

 

His heart clenched as he saw how vulnerable she was, how her small frame curled into him as she nuzzled her face to his chest, finding her hiding place in his arms. Her whole body trembled with sobbing, and Ben noticed her hair smelled of perfume and dust. She was totally wrecked and lost.

 

Ben let her cry for what seemed like an eternity, letting her release all of those feelings that had been buried inside her for years - the feelings of loneliness that he couldn’t ever understand. The feelings of a young, single mother, who has been struggling to make a better life for her child with no one else to turn to.

 

He didn’t know exactly what had happened to her tonight, although he could vaguely guess. But he wouldn’t ask her, not yet, not when her heart was still bleeding with grief like this.

 

At last, she managed to regain her senses. “Rian,” Rey muttered, “I need to go to him.”

 

“Change your clothes first and wash up - use my bathroom,” Ben said when he saw her look at her dirty clothes and scraped skin. “I will be here when you are done.”

 

“Thank you,” Rey didn’t look him in the eyes when he helped her to the bathroom, handing her his clothes and towel and closing the door behind her.

 

Ben went to the kitchen to get a glass of warm water for her while she cleaned up. Rey came out of the bathroom after about fifteen minutes, her face washed clean, even though her eyes were still red and swollen. She took a sip from the glass after he handed it to her, warming herself up before she padded towards where Rian was sleeping.

 

Ben followed her closely, stopping just outside her room. Rey needed her privacy at this moment, and he wasn’t going to invade it. But he had to make sure that she was alright.

 

Rian was still asleep as his mother slid under the comforter. Rey hugged her son tightly, kissing his forehead, as she always did when she came home from work every night. Rey glanced up at Ben, the corners of her lips quirked up into a soft smile, with tears still pooling in her eyes.

 

But she was alright now, safe.

 

Ben softly smiled back at her and gently closed the door behind him.

 

 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically Rey works as a waitress in day and a stripper at night, at Unkar Plutt night club. She does everything she could for her son but she draws a line at that, getting herself fired from work because she wouldn’t sell herself for money.
> 
> I won’t say that being a stripper is bad, I wouldn’t judge anyone here. This is just a story I have in my mind.
> 
> This probably be the last chapter I updated as anonymous. I’ve finished the next chapter and already sent it to my beta to pour her magic on it again. More good feeling and fluff will be here soon, I promise!


	4. Someone to care for me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey struggles to find a new job and Maz Kanata looks intimidating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of your kind comments in the previous chapter. Rey has been through a lot in her life and she is going to meet a bunch of good people from now on.

Her heart was made from steel.

 

After only a night, Rey’s spirits were up again. She walked Rian to school and started looking for a new job while he was at school. It appeared that Jakku was also owned by Unkar Plutt, and having fired her meant that Rey had lost all of her jobs. Apparently Plutt also had lots of acquaintances, so it was harder for Rey to find jobs, and Plutt had a wide range of businesses running in the city.

 

“You are pretty good at cooking, you know?” Ben said one night after dinner, after they had sent Rian to bed.

 

“I can’t do many dishes, just something edible,” Rey replied, arranging the plates into the cupboard.

 

“What did you do today?” Ben asked curiously.

 

“I went for an audition for a back up dancer in a show,” she closed the cupboard and turned back to him, taking a seat across the table, “Didn’t go well.”

 

“That’s too bad.” Ben cocked his head, “And what else did you do?”

 

“I went for some interviews with the Waffle House and Wendy’s. Seems like they have enough employees already.” Rey said, sighing in frustration.

 

“I see.”

 

“And housekeeping, I guess,” Rey shrugged, “I went to the grocery store and bought groceries for us.”

 

“Rey, you don’t need to do that.” Ben said, his tone becoming serious. “You don’t have to use your own money to buy all of this. You don’t have to do my laundry, or tidy up every inch of my house. You are my guest.”

 

“And what should I do?” Rey stood up abruptly, frustrated, “It’s been two weeks that I haven’t had a job and four  _ fucking _ weeks since we moved into your house! We are not beggars! I can’t just stay and do nothing. Ben, it’s not fair, even for you.”

 

“I’m willing to help.” Ben said with a relaxed shrug, his eyes seeking out hers.

 

“What do you want from me?” Rey glared at him, “In my world, there’s no such thing as charity - everyone always needs something in return. What do you want, Ben?”

 

Ben tried to swallow a thick lump in his throat.

 

“As you may have already guessed, I’m a stripper, that’s what I did at Niima Outpost. I sold my body for money,” there was regret, self loathing and sorrow in her eyes, “I didn’t have any parents, and the foster system was pretty messed up, so I left I as soon as I could. I traveled to the big city, hoping to find a place in this world that I could call my own, as it turned out -  I’m pretty fucked up, too.”

 

She paused to catch a breath, her chest heaving, simmering with anger.

 

“I slept around and got myself knocked up by one of the drunkards that probably died somewhere in the ghetto. Rian is the best thing that ever happened in my life. And I will do everything I can for him,” she continued with bitterness in her tone. “I can do pole dancing, and many more exotic things that a man can imagine. If you ever want to, I could provide my services to you.”

 

She lifted her chin, her back straightened as she looked Ben in the eyes with a brave, unwavering gaze. Her nipples jutted out under the thin layer of her cotton tank top, her arms rested at her side, beside the delicious curve of her waist, her toned legs stunning in her shorts - not to mention her peachy ass that could make any man hard seeing her moving around.

 

Yet he saw something flickering in her eyes -  _ fear _ . Rey was tough, but maybe not as tough as she thought she was.

 

Ben licked his dry lips, making up his mind. “I won’t. I wouldn’t ask that of you.”

 

His answer hurt her pride deeply. Rey twisted her lips, turning back on her heels and striding away.

 

“Wait! Rey.” Ben called out.

 

“I won’t stay here any longer,” she spoke through gritted teeth, “I’ll move out tomorrow morning.”

 

“But you don’t have anywhere to go to.” Ben grabbed her arm, stopping her.

 

“Of course, I’ll figure it out later!” Her face flooded with anger, “I’ll probably have to sleep with a willing man for a place to stay.”

 

“Are you out of your mind? It doesn’t have to be that way!” Ben said, wanting to prove to her that there were nice people out there, who were willing to help others and not expect anything in return. Especially  _ not _ meaningless sex.

 

“Then what should I do?” Rey’s voice trembled, “I can’t live like this, I just…”

 

Rey cringed as guilt and shame consumed her, and she averted her eyes from his gaze. Tears started to pool in her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks.

 

Ben wanted to hug her so badly, he wanted to comfort her, to tell her that everything was going to be alright, and that they could stay with him as long as she wanted - for a lifetime, for eternity -  _ if that’s what she wanted _ . It had to be her choice.

 

_ I just care about you _ . Ben ached to tell her that.

 

But touching her right now would definitely cause a misunderstanding, one that may take them across the line, so Ben had to come up with something very quick. Something that would give her a chance to make up her mind about what she wanted to do.

 

“I… might have something for you to do.” He said tentatively.

  
  


* * *

 

 

“Welcome to Takodana Body and Mind Fitness Center! How can I help you?” A small Asian woman with a bright smile on her face greeted them as they walked into the lobby.

 

“I have an appointment with Mrs. Kanata,” Ben said.

 

“Let me check,” ‘Rose’ - was written on her name tag - flipped a page on the appointment book before looking up and smiling, “Here it is! Please take a seat. Mrs.Maz will be down in a moment.”

 

“What is this place?” Rey looked around nervously. “Some kind of a spa?”

 

“Sort of.” Ben guided her to a sofa nearby.

 

“Ben, why did you bring me here?” Rey fidgeted in her seat, and it was obvious that she had never been to a place like this.

 

Ben was about to answer her when he heard his name being called.

 

“Ben!” a woman called to him. She was middle-aged, with her hair beginning to turn grey around her temples, and she was in workout clothes. Ben rose up to greet her, bending down as she circled her arms around his neck, “Long time, no see. I miss you so much!”

 

“It’s just been a week or two, Mom,” Ben hugged her back.

 

“And who is this?” His mother released him, her eyes darting to Rey, “Is she... Are you Rey?”

 

Rey swallowed a big gulp before answering. “Yes, I am Rey Johnson.”

 

“The girl I have heard so much about,” Leia walked to Rey with her arms opened, “I’m Leia, Leia Organa-Solo. I’m his mother, Ben’s told me a lot about you.”

 

“Really?” Rey was pulled into his mother embrace. Her body tensed immediately, as she wasn’t expecting the embrace. Ben couldn’t help smiling at how Rey awkwardly raised her arms to hug Leia back, she obviously wasn’t accustomed to his mother’s way of greeting.

 

“Of course,” Leia said, “Let me introduce you to my personal trainer, Finn! Let’s go meet him!”

 

A man showed up at the door to the training gym. He was black, with strong muscles and a wide smile as he greeted Rey, “Hey, how are you doing? Wanna join our training?”

 

“Err… actually I…” Rey looked at Ben nervously.

 

“We came to meet Maz,” Ben explained, gazing at the digital clock hanging above the reception desk, “It’s almost time for your session with Finn, right Mom?”

 

“Oh right!” Leia said, “Well, don’t hurry home yet, let’s have dinner after this.”

 

“Sorry, Mom. We’re kind of busy today,” Ben knew Rey was really nervous, so he helped her dodge the invitation, “Next time, alright? I’ll call you.”

 

After Leia left with her trainer, Rey turned to Ben with fury in her eyes.

 

“Did you tell your mother about me?!” She snarled, her face pale, “Did you tell her that my son and I live with you?”

 

“Calm down, Rey,” he said solemnly, “Actually, it’s her who talked to Maz so that we could come talk to her today.”

 

“I still didn’t know what are we doing here.” Rey said, her anger fading slightly.

 

“You said you could do pole dancing,” Ben said, “My mother suggested that you could work as an instructor here. Maz has been looking for one.”

 

“I’m- what?! Did you?! What did you tell your mother about me?!” She freaked out, dancing on her toes, “My God! What does she think of me? Why are you meddling with my  _ life _ ?!”

 

“REY JOHNSON!”

 

A thunderous shout came from the door behind the reception desk, where the small plastic sign on it said: Manager. There stood an old lady, small, slim, yet somehow looking completely intimidating.

 

Rey froze at the sound of her name, Ben almost heard her heart drop to the floor.

 

“Are you Rey Johnson?” Maz asked in a low voice, narrowing her eyes as she strode towards them.

 

“Y-Yes.” Rey stammered.

 

“Rey, this is Maz Kanata.” Ben whispered into her ear, “The owner of this place.”

 

“Hmm..” Without any further words, Maz reached them in a few strides and grabbed Rey’s arm. She examined both of her arms closely, her eyes darting all over Rey’s body, her gaze finally coming back to look at her hands. “Muscular, delicate but strong. Your hands… you work a lot, don’t you?”

 

“Y-Yes,” Rey sputtered.

 

“I don’t want another lazy ass around here,” Maz released her hands finally. “Leia told me that you do pole dancing. Our instructor, Bazine, just resigned two weeks ago. That hooker wanted to make more money at the club.”

 

Rey jumped at Maz’s words.

 

“How old are you? Twenty-two?” The older woman inquired.

 

“Twenty-six.”

 

“Where did you work before?”

 

At that question, Rey looked at Ben for reassurance, seeing him nod gave her the assurance she needed to answer Maz’s question. She cleared her throat before answering, “At the Niima Outpost.”

 

If Maz was disgusted, she showed no sign of it.

 

“Do you have any basic knowledge about sport science?”

 

“...No,” It looked like Rey wanted to bury herself in the ground, “I didn’t go to college.”

 

“Any knowledge about health and fitness in general?” Maz raised one of her faint eyebrows.

 

“I guess not.”

 

“Well, we can work on that later,” Maz waved her hand, “Follow me, girl. Let me see your moves. Stay here, Solo. This is woman’s business.”

 

Rey turned to him again, fear showing in her eyes.

 

“I can’t do this,” she muttered, her body trembling, “I’m gonna mess it up.”

 

“Rey, look at me.” Ben held her shoulders, looking her in the eyes before speaking softly, “You are great. You can do it.”

 

“How do you know?” She challenged him.

 

“Because I believe in you.”

 

Her body stopped trembling at his words. Rey took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her whole body began to relax as she slowly leaned into him, placing her forehead on his shoulder.

 

“Why do you believe in me so much?” Rey muttered, “You know who I am and how how fucked up my life was, yet you still believe in me.”

 

Ben gently patted her back, “My mother always says ‘Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, you'll never make it through the night.’. Don’t lose your hope, Rey, and I’m not gonna lose my hope in you.”

 

Rey slowly pulled herself together and leaned back to look up at him. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. The stress had her weary for weeks, crushing her sanity, tearing her soul apart. Only when she looked at her son did her strength renew itself again.

 

“Why are you so good to me?” She asked quietly.

 

Her question had him surprised, himself. Normally Ben wouldn’t stick his nose into someone else’s business, it’s not that he didn’t care, but he thought everyone had their own responsibilities. Rey had obviously told him to let her take care of herself at first, but he couldn’t just let her go like that.

 

He just couldn’t let her go at all.

 

“I want to help you,” Ben replied, “Just...like that.”

 

Rey let out a long sigh.

 

“Thank you.” She said softly.

 

 

* * *

 


	5. Someone to hold me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter of her life has just begun. With her new job, Rey feels more relax and even be able to spend more time with her son. Ben is intrigued but the new side of her he has never seen before. Love blooms between the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this fic will be 7 chapters long. This chapter wasn't in the first draft but I think it would be nice to make them bond deeper and has some cute moments together after such heavy angst in the previous chapter.  
> Thank you for all of your kind comments. I still struggled with writing insecurity and you guys give me courage. Love you all <3<3<3
> 
> Enjoy!

**  
**

 

“Relax, Rian. Bend your knees a little. Chest high. Balance. Yes, just like that.”

 

Ben heard a familiar voice as he walked into the ice rink. There was no class on Monday, and Rian was skating all by himself in the rink. He picked up his speed as he went straight and bent his knees a little when he took turns at the corners of the ice.

 

On the bleachers was Rey, bending over the boards to comment and guide her son’s movements.

 

“Hi there, what are you guys doing?” Ben smiled as he approached her, taking a seat to put on his skates. He was a little bit late today arriving from school.

 

“Practicing the three turns, Miss Paige told me that if I do great at three turns and spins, she will teach me more jumps!” Rian answered enthusiastically.

 

“Like Lutzes and Axels? Wow! Amazing. I’d never dream of doing those jumps.” Ben replied.

 

“You won’t stop only at the toe jumps, right?” Rey smiled down at her son.

 

“I didn’t know that you also skate?” Ben asked, getting on his feet and testing the tightness of his skates.

 

“I don’t know how to skate,” Rey shrugged, “But I do know about how to do spins.”

 

“I’m pretty sure you do.” Ben got on the ice, stretching his ankles a little bit, “Finish early today?”

 

“The electricity of our block was down today, so Maz cancelled all the classes and let us go home early.”

 

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Ben smiled at her, “Wanna join us on the ice? We could borrow a pair of skates.”

 

“Come on, Mommy! It’s fun.” Rian waved frantically at Rey, “You can do it!”

 

“If you say so, dear,” tentatively Rey rose from her seat and walked to the skates shelf.

 

Ben warmed up by chasing after Rian, the boy had gained more agility and speed, and Ben could hardly catch him now.

 

“How do you stop?” Rian asked, “Like two feet stop, like I saw in a movie.”

 

“You mean the hockey stop?”

 

Ben glided toward the boy, fast, and as he neared Rian he turned his skates to the side, ice spraying as the blades shaved off the top of the ice, making Rian giggle.

 

“Teach me! Teach me!”

 

“It’s just the side stop, with more ferocity. Paige is not gonna like this, you know?” Ben rubbed the boy’s head gently, “I didn’t do it that often, either. It’s just in the movies.”

 

“Look! Mom is here!” Rian pointed behind him.

 

Rian literally ran to his mother, and amazed by how natural Rian was on the ice, Ben followed him slowly.

 

Rey had told him the truth when she said she didn’t know how to skate, Rian tried to pull her along, but her hand still grabbed the boards tightly.

 

“Honey, Mommy needs time.” She smiled at her son nervously, “God! It’s so slippery.”

 

“Let me help you,” Ben said, “We will join you later, Rian.”

 

The boy smiled at them and glided back to enjoy practicing his drills. Out of her son’s sight, Rey’s smile suddenly disappeared.

 

“Oh, God.” She laughed dryly, her eyes fixed to the ice, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

 

“It’s not that bad. You just need a teacher,” Ben chuckled as he leaned in behind her, “Let me show you how to skate.”

 

“Oh, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Rey shook her head, “I will probably embarrass myself.”

 

“Join me,” Ben reached out his hand to her, saying softly in her ear, “Please.”

 

Rey turned and looked at his hand, biting her bottom lip - her gesture of nervousness that he had noticed after living together for a while. But the way her breathing became slower told him that she was considering taking the challenge.

 

Rey Johnson - never giving up without trying.

 

A smile tugged at Ben’s lips as Rey gingerly took his hand. She really looked like a fish out of the water as she tried to balance on her skates. Her body stiffened like a surfboard as Ben guided her on the ice.

 

“You can’t let me drag you all the time,” Ben smiled, “Relax, raise your foot slightly, and glide.”

 

Rey tried to follow his guidance, she squeaked a little as the movement brought her forward. “Oh, gosh!”

 

“You are doing great, keep going.” Ben encouraged her as she followed him slowly.

 

Her small hand tightened on his every time she felt off balance, “Talking is much easier than doing the real thing.” It was cold inside the rink, but Ben could literally see the thin beads of sweat along her hairline. “Don’t go too fast!”

 

“Mom! You are too slow,” Rian came close and grabbed her other hand, “Come on!”

 

“No! Don’t drag me! I’m gonna fall!”

 

Rey slipped and hit her bottom on the ice with a loud thud, her hand grabbed Ben’s so tight that it almost dragged him down with her. She let out a squeak of pain.

 

For a moment, Ben thought she was going to be furious. But instead, Rey looked up at him and laughed.

 

“I’m hopeless,” She said, “Even a big guy like you can’t save me from falling.”

 

“You pranked her,” Ben nudged Rian playfully, “Why don’t you go practice your speed while we go slower? Fast turns and twists are other useful skills.”

 

“Alright,” Rian said, “Next time I’ll beat you in a 50-meter sprint!”

 

“Challenge accepted!” Ben clapped his hand against Rian’s in a high-five and watched the boy skate to the corner to start his sprints.

 

A tug at his hand made him realize that he was still holding Rey’s hand.

 

“You are so good with him,” Rey said as he helped her to her feet. “I haven’t seen Rian this enthusiastic about anything in  a long time.”

 

“Kids are always excited with whatever they like at the time,” Ben replied.

 

“Oh, my God! Now we are in the middle of the rink! How far have you brought me?” Rey looked around nervously, “Do I need to take off the skates so I can walk back to the entrance? Do I get frostbite if I do that?”

 

“It’s not that far, we can skate back easily,” Ben paused, “Or we can practice a little bit more. We can go slow, it’s just us now on the ice.”

 

“Well, if you say so,” Rey sighed, “But you have to be patient with me. Falling really hurts without a cushion.”

 

Having fallen countless times during his ice hockey years had him familiar with how to land himself safely on the ice, and he had all the pads when he played so it didn’t hurt that much.

 

“Shouldn’t you grab my waist?” Rey asked when he started to pull her again, “So you can catch me if I fall?”

 

“Just holding hands is fine,” he replied, “Or do you really want me to… I mean… hold your waist?”

 

Suddenly, a shade of pink painted her cheeks as Rey realized what she just said. She was so reserved when she stayed with him, and had barely let him touch her, even if there was nothing behind it.

 

“Err… if that would help, I mean…, It’s totally fine if you don’t want to…” Rey stuttered, blushing helplessly, “... hold me.”

 

“If I hold you too close, you’ll just let me drag you around without moving your legs.” The lovely sight of her blushing made him chuckle, “Let’s go one more time around, okay? And then we can go home.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

There was an old grey sedan car parked in front of Ben’s townhouse when they arrived home later.

 

“What is this piece of junk?” Rian asked innocently, looking at the car.

 

“Rian! It’s very impolite to call other people’s things a piece of junk.” Rey warned her son, “Besides, that’s a 1970 Ford Falcon, a classic car from the ’70s. Look how polished it is! This car has had good maintenance.”

 

“Rey, I think I forgot to tell you something,” Ben said, his eyes fixed on the light flickering behind the curtain of his window, “My mom called me this afternoon and told me that we’re going to have a guest today.”

 

On cue, the front door opened, and Leia was standing there, wearing an apron with a cartoon character and colorful script saying: ‘It’s a trap!’.

 

“Excellent!” She exclaimed, “Your father and I just finished preparing dinner, come in and join us!”

 

Apparently his mother still had a key to his house and had been here for a while.

 

“Your father?” Rey looked at Ben nervously, unconsciously tugging her son behind her in a protective manner. She knew Leia, but she hadn’t met his father yet.

 

“Darling, Han is the cheekiest man in the world, and you two will like him,” Leia cocked her head towards the dining room, “Come on, Chewie and Lando are here, too.”

 

It had been months since Ben last saw his father. Han Solo was an avid pilot and still worked as a pilot for a commercial airline, along with his best friend, Charles ‘Chewie’ Chewbacca. And it had been more than ten years since he last saw the man who sat at the table, the man who owned the ‘piece of junk‘ outside his house, ‘Millenium Falcon’ as he had named it.

 

“Uncle Lando!” Ben’s mouth hung open as he entered the dining room.

 

“Hey kiddo! How are you?” Lando rose from his seat and hugged his nephew tightly, “You have changed so much - I could hardly remember what you looked like!”

 

“Glad to see you, too!” Ben hugged his uncle back, laughing.

 

“It's a pity that Luke isn't in the town, but I'm here anyway,” Lando turned to Rey and Rian with a wide smile, “And who is this lovely lady and boy? Your family?”

 

Rey’s eyes widened as she blushed, “No sir, we are just… renting one of his guest rooms for a while.”

 

Lando raised his eyebrows, “Like cohabitating?”

 

Ben almost choked at his uncle’s word choice.

 

“Haven’t I told you about her? Lando,” Leia nudged at the old man, “This is Rey, and her son Rian. This lovely lady was in need of help, and our boy decided to help her like the gentleman we raised him to be.”

 

“So, this is the girl we have heard so much about,” Han rose from his seat and reached out his hand to her, “Han Solo, nice to meet you. Thank you for looking after my son.”

 

Rey was clearly confused and terrified by the sudden presence of his family. Her hand trembled as she shook hands with the older man. Rian looked at Chewie with wide eyes, the boy probably hadn’t seen a Native American before.

 

“I should go upstairs,” Rey whispered to Ben, “Stay with your family, Rian and I will go back to our room.”

 

“No! You don’t have to. Please, stay with us,” Ben held her hand, “You live here, too. They are nice people. My uncle Lando would love to talk with Rian, he loves kids. My father and uncle Chewie have a lot of adventurous stories, too. I’m pretty sure they’ll love to tell Rian all about them.”

 

His table had never been as full as this, with his family’s favorite dishes all over the table. Rey sat quietly beside Ben, Rian sat between her and Leia, who greeted him with Fettuccine Alfredo and honey baked chicken. The older men continued on with whatever topic they had been discussing a while ago.

 

“The engine is brand new, with a lot of upgrades.” Lando said about his car, “You see how smooth it ran from your home to here.”

 

“Don’t make me regret my decision to sell it back to you,” Han snorted, turning to Rey, “How is your day going, Ms. Johnson? Leia told me that you instruct a pole dancing class at Maz’s gym.”

 

Rey almost jumped when the question was posed to her. Ben straightened in his seat - his father may have had good intentions when including her in the conversation, but if that made Rey uncomfortable, he would protect her at any cost.

 

But it was Leia who intervened first, “She is amazing, you know? Her classes are fully booked everyday! Girls feel confident when they are satisfied with their body and what they can do with it, and Rey has shown us such great examples.”

 

“Pole dancing is really beautiful. And how you can hold your whole body on the pole, even climbing up to the ceiling? That’s insane! And also the twirling movements, how do you keep yourself from feeling dizzy?” Lando smiled at Rey, “I tip my hat to you.”

 

Feeling everybody had warmed towards her, Rey gradually relaxed. She replied to Lando with a sweet smile that made Ben’s heart thump in his chest. “Thank you. I’m glad that everyone enjoys what I teach in my class. Maz has set up our dance studio pretty well.”

 

“And what is your hobby, little guy?” Lando turned to Rian.

 

Rian swallowed his food before answering, “I like skating.”

 

“So you can team up with Ben, he is a great hockey player!” Han said.

 

“I’m retired,” Ben replied, “But we do skate together at Mr. Tekka’s ice rink, that’s where we met outside of school.”

 

The dinner went on pretty well. After the dishes were cleared, everyone included  Rey in their conversations and made her feel welcome in their family. Eventually Rian started to talk and Rey had to warn him not to speak with his mouth full of dessert.

 

Dinners with his family were usually quiet, with only Leia talking - she tried her best to start a conversation. But with Rey, everything was lively and so natural that for the first time in ages, Ben really felt like he had a family.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh, the dishwasher is working?”

 

“Yes, sir.” Rey lifted her head from where she was arranging plates in the machine.

 

“Last time I was here, which is almost six months ago, it was broken,” Han said as he came in the kitchen, searching for a glass in the cupboard. ”My boy is not a good mechanic, and he didn't bother to call anyone to fix it either.”

 

”Well, I fixed it.” Rey closed the dishwasher and pressed start.

 

”You did?” Han raised his eyebrows in astonishment.

 

”Yeah, I did. It is still new, and very functional. Too bad he left it unrepaired.” Rey smiled. “I used to work at a repair shop, I can repair lots of things - clocks, TVs, fridges - I like mechanical things.”

 

”Wow, amazing.” Han grabbed a couple of glasses in one hand, and a bottle of wine in the other. “Hey, I’m considering retirement and opening my own garage. If you are interested in becoming a mechanic, don’t hesitate to call me.”

 

“Thanks, Han.”

 

Rey smiled to herself as she turned back to the sink and start rinsing the bowls and cups for the next cycle of the dishwasher. Rian was in the living room with the adults, listening to Uncle Lando talking about Canadian moose.

 

Minutes later, Ben strode into the kitchen.

 

“Hey,” Rey greeted him, “Do you want anything?”

 

“They started telling Rian about my embarrassing childhood stories and I couldn’t take it,” Ben leaned against the countertop beside Rey, laughing helplessly. “Please don’t go to the living room.”

 

“I won’t, for a while,” Rey smiled at him, “You have a lovely family.”

 

“Kind of,” Ben ran his hand through his hair, “Actually, we have another closed friend of our family, a sworn brother of our grandfather, Obiwan Kenobi. He lived in Scotland, teaching at a medical school. I heard that he just received a knighthood for his contribution to medicine.”

 

“That’s awesome!”

 

“I considered doing law or medicine once,” Ben said, his eyes trailed off to somewhere else as he reminisced about the old times, “My mother sent me to spend my teenage years with him, hoping he would encourage me to do medicine since I had no interest in law. It didn’t turn out well. I was lost for a while.”

 

Rey turned off the water and wiped her hands as she turned to him. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

“I have to admit, my temperament wasn’t that good, I was kind of a hot-headed teenager,” Ben smiled shyly, “I didn’t know what I really liked or what I was good at. I had energy and rage boiling inside me, and I needed to pour it out somehow. Hockey really suited me, so I went for it. Six years, far away from home, and then I injured my shoulder and my career was over. I had to come crawling back home like a loser.”

 

“No, you are not.” Rey stepped towards him, her hand placed on the countertop near his. “You look fine to me.”

 

“If you observe me closely, you’ll see that I avoid lifting heavy objects in certain situations. It hurts my shoulder,” Ben shrugged, “It doesn’t bother me in my daily life, but I couldn’t continue doing what I’m good at. And I’m older, calmer, and more stable now. I took a job here because I like art, and I could tolerate being with children.”

 

“You are great with children, and I’m pretty sure you will be a good father, one day.” Rey said softly, “Rian is so sweet because he’s still young. But I’m afraid of what he will be when he reaches his rebellious age. I was quite repulsive at that age, and I have no idea what I should do if he becomes like that.”

 

“Hey,” Ben reached out with his hand, taking her hand in his. “You’re not alone.”

 

Her hand was rough, and still damp from the water. Rey shuddered as he squeezed her hand slightly, reassuring her of the fact that she was a good mother. There was softness in her bright hazel eyes when their eyes met. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, a pair of plush lips that reminded him of a pink rose and had captivated him from the first time he saw her.

 

Her gaze lowered for a brief moment, to his lips, before meeting his gaze again. Ben didn’t realize that he unconsciously leaned into her until she was only a breath away. Rey had a faint scent of freshness - like a clear blue sky, sweet morning air, the sparkling sun, and velvety water combined. Her dark brown hair was curled lovely above the pastel cardigan she wore.

 

_He wanted to kiss her._

 

Rey closed her eyes slowly as he lowered himself to her, tilting his head a little as his lips brushed against hers. She was so soft, and warm, and sweet. Ben shuddered at the slight taste of her, it felt like a dream, a heavenly dream. And he wanted more of her.

 

Suddenly, a loud thud sounded at the kitchen door.

 

“Children, finish whatever you’ve started and join us in here! The wine tastes so good you’ll definitely love it!” It was Leia who called them.

 

They jumped like teenagers who got caught making out secretly, and Ben could literally feel the warmth on his cheeks and the tips of his ears, his heart pounding in his chest like he just ran for a mile. There was a slight movement under his hand, and he realized that he was still holding her hand tightly.

 

“I guess she means the dishwashing.” Rey said shyly, her cheeks a light shade of pink, which only made her look more lovely, “You go first.”

 

“Oh! Err…” Ben released her hand quickly, “Let me help you then.”

 

“You don’t have to, it’s fine.”

 

“Two pairs of hands are better than one,” he folded his sleeves up, “Please let me help.”

 

“Alright,” Rey smiled, passing the sponge to him as she began to clear the dishwasher for the next load of dishes.

 

 

* * *

 


	6. Someone to stay with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything was great. Rey got a good job, they had their first kiss, his family approved, Rian was happy.  
> What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so behind all the comments, life is quite busy these days. I'm so sorry guys, I'll try to update as fast as possible.  
> This update is quite short than I expected. So all the climax and the ending will be in the next chapter.  
> Big applause to Heathyr who has been helping with my fic from the very start. Her fic is fantastic too! Click [HERE](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife) to see her awesomeness!  
> Well, enjoy!

 

__

 

_Eggs, bread, peanut butter, milk, yogurt, cereal, cheese, smoked ham, all-purpose flour._

 

 _Pop-Tarts and chips_ , maybe.

 

No. Rey won’t like those chips.

 

Ben hadn’t done much grocery shopping himself, he would rather eat out, eat frozen food, or cook something easy. But living with a woman and her growing son changed his life a lot. After a long discussion comprised of ‘ _No, you don’t have to,_ ’ and ‘ _It’s fine, I’m going to do it_ ,’ they had reached an agreement to alternate doing the grocery shopping.

 

This week was Ben’s turn, even though he insisted going to the supermarket with Rey every time because he had a car and she didn’t.

 

 _Detergent, paper towels, and Kleenex_.

 

 _Tide pods?_ Nope.

 

Holding the list in one hand, Ben pushed the cart along the aisle, grabbing the products he wanted from the shelf one by one. The groceries occupied half of the cart, and he had to rearrange them to clear more space. He was almost finished with the list.

 

 _Cotton balls, shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, shaving cream_.

 

Ben picked up things in the list one by one as he walked past the health care department. During the past few months, their relationship had grew closer to the point that he could call themselves besties. There was a little bit of awkwardness the next morning after that kiss, but Rey remained calm about it, and slowly they silently agreed to pretend that the kiss never happened.

 

But it _did_ happen.

 

And living under the same roof with a woman really didn’t help him forget. There were women’s clothes and lingerie in his washing machine, pairs of women’s shoes and boy’s sneakers in his closet. There was a faint scent of vanilla and lilies in almost every room in his house - other than his own bedroom - her scent, _how bad he wanted her scent all over his bed_.

 

There were also times when they bumped into each other unintentionally. Like in the last week when he woke up at night, wearing only his pajama pants, and had wandered into his kitchen for water. He found Rey with a cup of warm milk sitting coyly at the table.

 

_“What happened?” He asked softly, “You can’t sleep? Is there anything I could do for you?”_

 

_“No, it’s nothing.” Rey replied, “It’s just… my period cramps.”_

 

She smiled back at him, but she was clearly in pain by the way her hand pressed on her lower belly. Ben knew the basic biology of women, and he had heard some women grumble about it to their friends.

 

This was something private to Rey, and she told him because she felt safe with him, or just plainly told him because she knew him too well, and knew that he wouldn’t stop worrying about her until he knew what was really happening.

 

Ben remembered finding her his hot water bottle, the one he used while treating his shoulder pain, so she could use it when she went back to her room. Taking care of her personal problem made it feel more intimate to her, Ben hoped. _Had anyone taken care of her like this in the past? Did she have to battle it all by herself?_

 

Ben went to the cashier after he had collected all the things on the list. His eyes trailed off when he was waiting in line to a small shelf not so far away.

 

 _Condoms_.

 

His cheeks blushed as he saw them. Ben was not the type to play around, but he had some of them stored in the drawer of his nightstand, uncertain if they were expired yet. He had never brought any girl home, and he hadn’t had any action for a long time.

 

He tried to be sincere with Rey, it was his first intention when he offered her shelter that was his home. No sex involved, she didn’t have to give anything in return. He couldn’t let her face all the cruelness of this world alone now that he had found her.

 

But the tension was there, gravitating around them, bringing them closer and closer.

 

Rey had his heart since the first time they met. If the situation was different, Ben would have probably asked her out on a date. The idea of dating a single mom had never crossed his mind, but having both of them living with him seemed so natural, like his home was where they were meant to be - not to mention that Rian was such a good kid.

 

 _He wanted to be the father of this little family_ , a father figure and a friend for Rian, and - probably, if Rey would allow him to be - her husband. But Rey was a strong, independent woman, life had taught her a hard lesson. It would take ages, maybe forever to have her open up to him, to reach that level of relationship.

 

However.

 

The way she shuddered as she felt his warmth when they were in close proximity. The way her eyes roamed over his body when she thought he didn’t notice. The way her eyes sparkled when she looked up at him had Ben hoping she wanted it too.

 

 

* * *

 

 

A familiar voice from the kitchen greeted him when he arrived home, combined with a delicious smell from his kitchen.

 

“Mom! Which one should I bring to the camp?” Rian was running back and forth between the kitchen and the living room, holding his t-shirts in each hand.

 

“You look good in the blue one, but I think the red looks good, too.” Rey was standing in front of the stove, stirring something in a pot.

 

“You aren’t even looking!” Rian pouted.

 

There was a pile of clothes on the couch, with a travel bag he let Rian borrow opened on the table. Rian was packing his bag for a scholarship ice skating camp, a five day intensive camp for young figure skaters where they would be taught by a world renowned skater. Rian was so excited about it that he had been literally jumping all the way back home when Paige told him the good news - that he was chosen to go to the camp.

 

“You could wear whatever you want,” Rey chuckled, “Or do you want to impress someone? A girl?”

 

“It’s not like that!” Rian denied, but his ears suddenly turned crimson.

 

Hearing Ben stumble into the kitchen, Rey turned to him, greeting him with her bright smile that made his heart flutter and his brain short-circuit. She was wearing his long-forgotten denim apron - that was obviously too large for her - but made her look so good. Rey was in a comfortable cotton t-shirt and running shorts, her peachy round ass peeking out from the edge of the apron - and how badly he wanted to _squeeze_ it, pull her close and feel the softness of it against his awakening arousal.

 

A small lock of brown hair escaped her bun and curled lovingly below her ears, resting lightly at the hollow of her neck. A sheen of sweat on her skin showed that she had been cooking something for awhile.

 

“I’m pretty sure Rian has a crush on some girl in Ms.Paige’s class,” Rey winked at Ben, “Would you please help him packing his stuff? I’m almost done cooking our dinner.”

 

“It smells nice. What is it?” Ben looked over her shoulder.

 

“Spaghetti and meatballs, and some roasted potatoes in the oven...” Rey replied, her voice trailing off and her body shivering as she felt his hand on the back of her waist.

 

A shade of pink colored the nape of her neck up to the apple of her cheeks. She didn’t withdraw from him, but the way her breath hitched told him that she was indeed affected by his touch, in a good way.

 

If they were a couple, he would kiss her right now.

 

“I’ll help Rian then, call me when you finish dinner.” He said softly.

 

 

* * *

 

 

After dinner, Rey put Rian to bed earlier than usual, because he had to get up early tomorrow to go to camp. Ben had finished washing all the dishes when Rey came back into the kitchen.

 

“How was your day?” She gingerly took a seat at the table. “I mean… how was school today?”

 

“Good, you know, kids love poster painting, especially if they can put their hands in the paint and paint the walls with a hundred handprints. I got my classroom a new wallpaper today.” Ben chuckled, wiping his hand dry and turning around, “How about yours?”

 

“Maz had me sign up for another class for aerial yoga instructor. She found a clip on YouTube and thought it would be nice to combine aerial yoga with pole dancing.” Rey smiled to herself, “The course was expensive, I don’t have money for that, but Maz insisted that she pay for me, and I have to work for her to pay back my debt.”

 

“She wouldn’t let you go anywhere,” Ben giggled as he imagined the small, intimidating lady bossing everyone around, “She probably likes you.”

 

“Right, but I am still a little bit afraid of her.” Rey shook her head with a helpless smile, “Yeah, it’s good.”

 

She was happy. Ben could tell by how he had heard her humming or singing her favorite songs, or made up some melodies of her own, when she was around his home. Rey had a low voice for a woman, but when she sang, it was purely angelic, sweet and lovely, like a bluebird of happiness.

 

“Hux was in town today, and he bought me a small bottle of wine, it’s good, I can tell you. Would you mind sharing a glass with me?”

 

Rey raised her eyebrows, “Hux?”

 

“Long story, why don’t you wait for me on the couch? I’ll be there in a minute.” Ben cocked his head in the direction of his living room.

 

With two glasses and the neck of the bottle in his hand, Ben entered his living room and found that Rey had already made herself comfortable on the long couch. Her toned legs were curled up on the comfy cushions. Ben took a seat next to Rey, pouring two glasses of wine and handing one to her.

 

“It tastes nice,” Rey smiled across the rim of her glass after taking a sip.

 

“Hux’s hometown has a lot of good wine,” Ben replied, “He came here to see how Unkar Plutt’s case is going.”

 

Rey froze at the name of Plutt, “What? What happened? What does - is he your friend? - what does he have to do with Plutt?”

 

Seeing her disturbed made him curse himself quietly for ruining the night, “He was with me when… that night… when I helped you outside the club.”

 

“Oh.” Memory flashed through her eyes.

 

“Hux was so upset. He hates every kind of violence towards women and children,” Ben explained carefully, knowing that Rey cared so much about how other people may judge her, “He dug down into Plutt’s businesses and found lots of illegal things, so he used his connections to bring Plutt down. I’m quite sure he was merely an inch from jail. He won’t be a threat to you anymore.”

 

“He deserved it,” Rey sighed, “Poor man, there was no one he cared about and no one who cared about him.”

 

“You are so kind,” Ben said softly, “Despite all the horrible things he did to you, you still have sympathy for him.”

 

“He hired me once,” Rey shrugged, “He offered me a job when I was unemployed.”

 

“He was taking advantage of you when you were desperate. I wouldn’t count that as merciful, you know?”

 

“I used to think that way,” her gaze trailed off to somewhere far away. “You know, Rian is all I have. I just want a good life for him, so I’ll do whatever I have to.”

 

“I know,” Ben reached out his hand to hold hers, “You are so strong. Rey, I’m so proud of you.”

 

“Thank you,” Her eyes turned to where their fingers were laced together, his thumb rubbing gently on the back of her hand. “You’ve done so much for us. I don’t know I can ever repay you.”

 

“You don’t have to,” Ben said softly, “You owe me nothing.”

 

Her eyes looked up to meet his. For a moment there was a flood of emotions in her eyes, gratefulness, doubt, shame, vulnerability and longing. Rey was like a feral animal, wounded, baring her teeth to everyone who dared to step into her territory. She was so lonely, under the strong outer shell she was only a girl, a nobody, unwanted.

 

She was nothing.

 

But not to him.

 

Ben didn’t know who started it first, but his lips brushed against her plush, pink lips. Rey closed her eyes as he angled his head to deepen the kiss. Her warmth and her sweetness seared into his soul.

 

The kiss had never been this good to him. There was no rush in it, time seemed to stop when Rey gasped and kissed him back. Her hands were on his chest, holding lightly to his collar. Ben wound his arm around her and pulled her flush against him, one hand ghosting beneath the hem of her t-shirt, rubbing gently at her waist. Rey whimpered against his lips, making his heart pound and sending all the blood rushing to his growing erection.

 

Ben left her lips to kiss the soft skin of her jaw, down to her neck. He hummed as he trailed his hand up, only to find that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her breasts were small, but fit perfectly in his palm, and Ben gently cupped one of them and squeezed lightly, making her squirm. Her light moan stirred up his desire, and he wanted _more_.

 

A firm press of her hand on his chest pulled him back to earth.

 

“Ben,” Rey huffed, “I have something to tell you.”

 

Her cheeks flushed pink, her nipples pebbled under the thin fabric of her T-shirt. Rey shuddered as he withdrew his hands from her breast, but left them lingering on the skin of her waist. Now that he had _really_ touched her, Ben could hardly keep his hands to himself.

 

“What is it?” His voice sounded hoarse, thick with unfulfilled desire.

 

“I…” she hesitated for a moment, “I think I’ll move out.”

 

Like cold water splashing on his face, Ben snapped out of his alluring dream-like state. He blinked at her, completely confused.

 

“Finn, the trainer at Maz’s fitness, recommended several places affordable for me. They’re not far from Rian’s school and my workplace, and are also in a good neighborhood.” Rey didn’t meet his eyes when she spoke. “I’ve been to some places, and I liked them.”

 

Speechless, Ben pressed his lips into a thin line. _Moving out, she was going away from him_.

 

“Now that I’ve got a stable job,” Rey licked her lower lip, “I think… Rian and I shouldn’t bother you anymore.”

 

Ben stuttered, trying to speak, “You didn’t, I… my house will always be welcome for both of you.”

 

“I’m grateful for that,” she slowly lifted up her gaze to him, “But we can’t stay here forever.”

 

_Yes, you can._

 

_Only if you…_

 

“It’s really not a bother to me, you know? Not at all! I… I did enjoy our time together here,” The thought of her being away shook him to the core, “I’m glad I could help you.”

 

“Thank you so much… for everything,” Rey smiled, but in her eyes was - maybe it was just his delusion - a shade of sadness.

 

His hands withdrew from her unconsciously, creating a torturous distance between them. Ben couldn’t look her in the eyes, he knew too well that all of his emotions would convey through his eyes, and now that Rey had made her decision to leave, he wouldn’t be the one to make her uncomfortable.

 

“When…” words hardly escaped his lips, “When will you go?”

 

 _Move out_ , he couldn’t make himself say those words.

 

 _Go_. Just like going to work, going to school, or going to the grocery store, the one where she left and would _come back_.

 

“I think I’ll stay with Rose starting tomorrow,” Rey answered, “Her place is in the neighborhood, so I can see if it’ll work for Rian and me. And when Rian comes back from camp. We… will be moving out.”

 

“You can stay here, until Rian comes back.”

 

“I know, but…” She averted her gaze from him, “I don’t want to be a bother to you.”

 

The way her arms slowly hugged around herself, making her look smaller, hit him in the gut. She was uncomfortable to stay with him, _alone_.

 

She didn’t despise him, Ben was pretty sure about this. She _offered_ herself to him. But now that she had finally opened up to him, then why did she want to leave?

 

“We will keep in touch, I promise,” Rey turned back to him, “Rian likes you a lot. You are his inspiration, and I’m glad he has a good man like you he can look up to.”

 

“I like him, too. He is a good kid, you have raised him well.” Ben gave her a supportive smile, “You have all my best wishes.”

 

“Thank you.” Rey smiled.

 

And by the next morning, she was _gone_.

 

 

* * *

 


	7. Someone to fall in love with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey ran away from him, for some reason he didn't understand.  
> Is he going to let her go just like that?  
> What can he do to make her stay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here come the last chapter!  
> This probably the longest fic I've written in English so far. Thank you so much for all of your support. I'm so behind all the comments, I promise to catch up with all of them as soon as possible.  
> Thank you @[RogueCompanion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueCompanion/pseuds/RogueCompanion) for a lovely prompt. You asked for fluff and I think I put too much angst in it. Oops! sorry. I hope this chapter would make it up for all the angst.  
> Thank you soooooooo much, my dear Heathyr @[MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife), for helping me with all of these. The beautiful language in this fic is a big kudo to her. I would be lost with out you.  
> Now, the last chapter plus the epilogue. Enjoy!

 

 

 

“Did you call me here because you want to play? Or are you basically wanting to beat someone’s ass?”

 

“Shut up!”

 

Ben glared at Poe. He glided across the ice rink, guiding a puck with his hockey stick. Poe bent his knees, ready to guard his goal. They had beaten each other plenty of times during the old days, with Ben being the ace player and Poe the ace goalkeeper.

 

Ben hit the puck, too hard, and sent it hurtling through the air - straight to Poe’s waiting glove.

 

“Ouch!” Poe cried, throwing the puck back to Ben, “That hurt! This glove is too old and worn, huh?”

 

Ben groaned, reaching out with his stick to catch the puck but unbelievably missing it. The puck glided past him to the opposite blue line.

 

“You are quite distracted today,” Poe narrowed his eyes.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“I don’t know, man,” Poe shrugged, which made his neck ridiculously short when he was in full goalie padding, “You used to be better than this, and I mean last month, we played together and you could still handle the puck gracefully.”

 

Ben grunted, pushing out his foot to stop, a hockey stick in his right hand, and a puck somewhere down the ice, “I feel… not like myself.”

 

“What’s been bothering you?” Poe pulled off his helmet to clearly look at his friend, “You know you can talk to me, pal.”

 

Ben hesitated for a moment, a private matter between Rey and him shouldn’t be discussed openly. But Poe had been a good friend of his, even in his rebellious younger days. He was the one who kept updating Ben’s well-being to his family when anger and hatred were still rampant in their relationship. Poe was the one who helped in mending the relationship with his mother when he came back home like a loser.

 

Ben cleared his throat, “You know I dated girls, right?”

 

“That’s not new,” Poe quirked a smile, “But seriously, you have been alone for too long.”

 

“I suppose so, because now I have no idea what I should do,” Ben sighed, “You know Rey, right?”

 

“I do,” Poe nodded, “She works at Maz’s now, right? I’ve talked to her a couple times when I went to check the equipment there, she looked much happier than the first time we met. You helped her a lot.”

 

“Yeah. I… well,” Ben ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, “She moved out of my house.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“It’s so sudden,” Ben sighed again, “Just when we began to have feelings for each other. She just… stopped there and ran away from me.”

 

“That’s interesting,” Poe crossed his arms over his chest, “Tell me more.”

 

“I mean, everything was going great. We were besties, we lived together perfectly, and Rey said herself that her son had never been happier than this. Won’t it break his heart when he comes home to find that our little family is being torn apart?”

 

“You care about that boy so much.”

 

”Rian is so humble, having a dream he knows is hard to make happen - but still keeping his hope. And Rey, what a great mother she is, how could I let them suffer?” Ben started pacing around as his thoughts flew, “I know I did cross a line a little bit when I offered my help. But they were homeless at that time, and I have a plenty of rooms at my house, it all turned out great, wasn’t it?”

 

“How kind of you,” Poe started to take off his gloves, “You’re making her feel uneasy, you know?”

 

Ben was taken aback by his friend’s words, and confused.  _ Did he make Rey uncomfortable? _ But how? She seemed to be so fine with him, even joking with him recently.

 

Poe pressed his lips in a thin line, considering how to explain the situation to the man in front of him.

 

“You know my mom raised me alone, right?” Poe waited for Ben to nod his reply, “A woman’s state of mind is much different when there is a child involved. Rey is a responsible mother, and her son means the world to her. You invaded her world, throwing her off the track, and left her no choice when you brought her home that fateful night.”

 

“What I did was bad?” Ben raised his voice, “She was fired from her job by that junk trader!”

 

“I didn’t say that,” Poe raised his hands when Ben gave him a glare, “What I mean is that it was all so sudden. Ah! This conversation is going to be a long one, let me take a seat first.”

 

Poe got off the ice, sitting on a seat behind the boards while taking off his pads and skates. Ben kept pacing around, back and forth on the ice, grunting deep in his throat in impatience.

 

“It’s not easy for her to open up to a new relationship, you know?” Poe said, “You may think she is lonely, but actually for her, she’s not. Rey has a son as her buddy. Her world had been perfect with just the two of them. There has never been a place for you in their life before. And I’m speaking from my own experience.”

 

“It has been almost four months. I didn’t rush her at all,” Ben’s shoulders dropped as he continued, “She did… offer herself to me once, but I think it was from her desperation. I didn’t take advantage of her. I helped her find a new job. I took care of her son. I introduced her to my family, and she was well accepted by them. We’ve kissed… twice, and it felt so natural when we… you know,  _ kissed _ .”

 

A knowing look appeared in Poe’s sparkling eyes, “She fell in love with you.”

 

Ben’s heart almost skipped a beat when he heard that word. He turned to Poe, frowning, “What did you say?”

 

“My guess is, she is falling in love with you.” Poe smiled knowingly, “I’m not a relationship expert, and my girlfriend is gonna beat my ass if I’m late for dinner. But, I can think of a lot of solutions for you guys to stay together. Rey can rent your room, it’s more convenient, a lot of people do that. But why did she choose to move away from you?”

 

“She’s uncomfortable with me.”

 

“Yeah, but why?” Poe pressed further, “Have you guys ever sat down and talked it out?”

 

“We have.”  _ After a heated kiss _ , Ben’s heart fluttered at the memory of it.

 

“Did she tell you she felt uncomfortable?”

 

“No,” Ben paused for a moment, he had to choose his words carefully, because he didn’t want Poe to think badly about Rey, “She said she didn’t want to be a bother to me.”

 

“Do you like her? Of course, you do!” Poe teased, “Did you tell her you like her?”

 

“Isn’t what I have been doing all this time enough to show her how I feel? And I did tell her she wasn’t a bother to me at all.” Ben replied, his ears reddened like a ripe cherry.

 

Poe groaned.

 

“What else am I supposed to tell her?”

 

“That’s the problem, you idiot!” Poe gathered his gear and stood up, “Rey has no idea what you really think about her, that’s why she’s scared.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Ben shook his head, “I tried my best to be good to her.”

 

“She doesn’t want your pity, Ben.” Poe walked towards him, patting his shoulder when he came near, “A woman like that has her pride, but deep down she also has some insecurity. Talk to her, bare your own heart to her. I wish you luck, pal.”

 

 

* * *

 

Poe’s words reverberated inside his head for the rest of the afternoon. Ben stayed at the ice rink until it closed at seven. The wind felt chilly on his way back home, and he zipped up his jacket.

 

His house was dark when he arrived. Ben turned on the lights and walked towards the kitchen, making himself a dinner from frozen food.

 

It was so quiet.

 

There used to be a chair for him at the table, but now there were two vacant chairs by his side, one for Rey, and one for Rian. And they were gone.

 

A hollowness in his heart he never realized was there grew deeper.

 

What would dinner be if she was still  _ here _ ? Rey was not a great cook, but her skill was decent enough to cook some delicious dishes that both of them enjoyed. The apron she used still hung on the hook behind the door. Rian would be doing his homework over there in the living room while waiting for dinner to be finished.

 

Ben padded to the living room, staring at the dark screen of his television. There was a silly TV drama Rey loved so much, it would be airing tomorrow, and she would be here on the couch with a giant bowl of popcorn, or a box of Kleenex if she got too emotional.

 

His legs felt heavier as he walked upstairs, across from his room was the room that Rey had stayed in with Rian. The door was left slightly open, and the room was dark inside. Ben switched the light on and stepped into the room.

 

Everything was pretty much the same as before they come into his life.

 

The bed that was perfectly made, like there had never been anyone sleeping in it before. The desk Rian had used was clean. The closet was vacant, and there wasn’t even a thread of hair in the bathroom.

 

They were gone.

 

_ She was gone. _

 

The world had crumbled right in front of him.

 

His chest tightened so hard, he could hardly breathe. Ben had been living alone almost all his life, but it had only been two days since she had moved out, and he couldn’t bear it. 

 

Oh, how he missed seeing them chasing each other around his house. How Rey picked Rian up in her arms and hugged him tightly. How she read her son a bedtime story and kissed him goodnight. How her eyes were full of undivided love for her son, like he was her whole world, as well as she was his.

 

Their world - that Ben Solo had never existed in before.

 

But he wanted it, he wanted to be a part of their world, too.

 

Life had taught him to be humble. The arrogance of his youth had wounded him deeply - down to his soul. Ben always made himself believe that everything was fine the way it was, no stress, no competition, no pursuits anymore.

 

But what would the world be without her?

 

He just couldn’t let her go.

 

 

* * *

 

With his mind still confused, his legs had taken him to Maz’s gym. It was dark, with only a dim light in the hallway. Finn and Rose were packing up their things and preparing to leave for the day.

 

“Sir, we are closed,” Finn said, but his eyes widened as he saw Ben, “Oh, hey! Long time, no see.”

 

Ben waved his hand tentatively, “I am looking for Rey, is she here today? Is she  _ still _ here?”

 

Rose gave Finn a knowing look. Finn hesitated for a moment before replying, “Yes, she’s still here. Rey wants to practice some new routine before heading home.”

 

_ Home, that was not his. _

 

“Can I see her?”

 

Finn and Rose looked at each other, and Rose was the one who cleared her throat and replied, “Yes, you can. Her studio is on the second floor. Take the stairs at the end of the corridor.”

 

“Thanks,” Ben nodded.

 

As he walked past them, Finn grabbed his arm and pulled him stop.

 

“I don’t know what has been going between you two,” Finn said, “But Rey is desperate, she cries at night and rarely eats anything since she came to live with us. You better work out your problems as soon as possible.”

 

Hearing that she had been suffering made the knot in his chest tighten, “I should have never let her go.”

 

“Then ask her to stay.” Rose chimed in.

 

“I did.” Ben replied.

 

“Then do it again.” Rose gave him an encouraging look.

 

_ What should he tell her to make her stay? _ Ben thought as he walked upstairs. In the first place, he had used Rian as an excuse for her to stay at his house when they were homeless. When she lost her job, he had another excuse for her to stay longer. Now that the problems had been solved, what would be left between them?

 

Would she be scared if he told her that he loved her?

 

Would she run away where he couldn’t follow?

 

The faint sound of a ballad echoed through the corridor, and there was a light shining through the glass door at the room at the end of the hall. Ben walked slowly towards it, his heart pounding hard in his chest.

 

What he saw through the glass door of the studio brought him to a sudden, stunned halt.

 

Rey was in her sport bra and legging shorts, hanging upside down on a pole. Her body kept swirling round, legs splaying in a distinctly graphic movement. With slender muscles flexing and toes pointing downward, she was on the ground again.

 

Her hand traced up and down the stainless pole as the music repeated its first verse, and Rey walked around the pole with her eyes closed, indulging in the sentiment of the moment. As the rhythm picked up, she swung around the pole, gaining the momentum before lifting herself up again above the ground. 

 

Rey slowly gained her elevation through a series of graceful, acrobatic movements. Ben knew she was strong physically, yet it was still impressive how she held herself up in the air, and how flexible she was when her body bent and twisted languidly until it resembled an angel.

 

Her arms and legs splayed out in a certain figure as she slowly, elegantly, spiraled down the pole, like a silken curtain blown by the wind, like a blazing fire dancing in the dark - like a bird that flew in the sky, so young, wild, and free, above the wind beneath her wings.

 

At that exact moment, Ben knew that - from the bottom of his heart - he wanted to be that wind beneath her wings.

 

As the music came to an end, Rey undulated herself against the pole, reaching the ground. Her breasts thrust out as her body arched, before lowering herself back on the floor. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her breath hitched like she was going to cry as she rolled sinuously at the foot of the pole.

 

The sound of the door opening snapped her out of the moment.

 

“Ben?” Rey jumped upright, “What are you-“

 

Her question was cut off as he pulled her into his arms.  _ She was here _ , her skin felt cool from the air conditioner and the sheen of sweat covering it. Ben nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, breathing her in. His whole body shook vigorously and tears started to run down his cheeks before he even knew what was happening.

 

“Rey,” His voice trembled as he pleaded, “Please, don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.”

 

“Ben…”

 

“Please, come home. I can’t live without you,” Ben squeezed her tighter, her presence had become embedded in his soul long before he even realized it, “I love you.”

 

He murmured pleadingly, telling her of his love again and again, praying deep in his heart that she would stay. Her breath was ragged against his ear, warm, and with a whimpering voice that made him suddenly realize that she was going to cry, too.

 

Her hands slowly wound around his waist, small and gentle, rubbing his back. Her body slowly molded into him, and it fit perfectly in his arms. Rey tilted her head, nuzzling against his cheek, kissing him. The sweetness of her touch made his heart sing.

 

She said nothing, but when their eyes finally met, Ben had all the answers he had questions for.

 

 

* * *

 

Rey was everything, his everything.

 

Exquisite, her body warm and soft in his arms, her lips seeking his, her hands held his face gently as she kissed him soundly on his lips again and again.

 

Ben hissed as she rolled her hips against his growing erection. Rey didn’t hold herself back anymore when they finally rid themselves of their clothes and she was straddling his lap. His hands caressed all over her body, the soft swell of her breasts, the toned curve of her waist, and the soft globes of her ass.

 

Rey whimpered when he rolled her on her back, scooting her up on the bed and trailing his kisses down her throat. Her nipples hardened like ripe cherries, and Ben sucked on one of them lightly, drawing a throaty moan from her. His hand fondled the other one, and Rey squirmed under his large frame, cradling his head against her chest.

 

Ben released her nipple with a slick pop, nuzzling his nose at the underside of her breast. Her abs clenched in response to his kiss as he moved down her body, following the light silvery stretch marks at her lower belly that lead to the small, curly patch of hair at the apex of her thighs.

 

“Ben! You don’t have to,” Rey protested as Ben positioned himself between her parted knees, “It’s dirty.”

 

“Nothing about you is dirty, Rey,” He reassured her with a soft smile, “And I want to.”

 

Her head was thrown back as he lapped on her sensitive clit. Her folds glistened with arousal, waiting and wanting for him to fulfill his sweet promises. She tasted sweet, her entrance twitching as he nudged a finger inside.

 

It didn’t take long, her body arched up as waves of pleasure flooded through her. Rey writhed under his arms caging her hips, her walls fluttering around his finger. Ben worked her through her climax, smoothing his hands on her trembling body.

 

Until he realized that she was crying.

 

“Rey! Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Ben felt startled seeing her breaking down in tears, and he moved up the bed to hold her in his arms.

 

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, “I wish I could be a better woman for you.”

 

“Sweetheart, there is no one like you,” Ben kissed her temple as Rey nuzzled him, her shoulders trembling. Her tears were warm and wet on his chest.

 

“I’ve never known love can be this gentle, yet so strong that I can hardly breathe without it,” Rey said, words overflowing as she bared her heart to him, “Your love overwhelmed me with joy and happiness, so much that I’m scared. What will I do if one day you don’t love me anymore? Or, oh God forbid!, if anything ever happened to you, my heart will be torn into pieces and I won’t be able to live without you.”

 

His heart soared at her confession, and Ben hugged her tighter, kissing the crown of her head, “Don’t be afraid. I feel it, too.”

 

Ben gently lifted her chin up, kissing her tears away. Rey moaned against his lips, legs tangling with his, seeking more of his warmth.

 

“The future is a wide range of possibilities. What will unfold is just one of many. We can’t live on that. But what we can do right now is accept what we have here,” Ben caught her hand and placed it over his heart, “I love you. It’s the truth. Between us, right here, and if you would let me spend my life with you, through the ups and downs, I promise, I will always be with you.”

 

“Why me?” She murmured, “I have nothing to give back to you.”

 

“You don’t have to,” Ben placed his hand on hers, “But if I can have my wish, I pray that one day, you will fall in love with me, too.”

 

Rey looked up at him, eyes glistening. Ben lowered his head to kiss away her tears. “Please, give me a chance.” He whispered.

 

She answered him with a kiss, her arms circling around his back and pulling him on top of her. Ben propped himself up on his elbows to keep his weight from crushing her. Rey was so small when they lie together like this, his hip lodged between her thighs. His hardened member nudged against her entrance and she gasped, rolling her hip in response.

 

Despite how badly he wanted to bury himself inside her, Ben reached for the drawer at his nightstand, searching for condoms he remembered keeping there.

 

“I have an IUD,” Rey pulled on his arm as she realized what he was going to do, “And I’m clean.”

 

Ben looked at her with surprise.

 

“It’s… I just had a test a month ago,” Shame flashed through her eyes, “But if you want to protect yourself, I won’t mind.”

 

“I’m clean, too,” Ben returned to her, kissing her cheek.

 

Her mouth went agape as he pushed in, slowly stretching her all the way to the hilt as he bottomed out inside her. Rey was impossibly tight around him. Ben knew his size might be a burden for a woman with a delicate frame like Rey, so he gave her time to accommodate his girth, cooing sweet nothings in her ears as his hand rubbed her hip, soothing her discomfort.

 

As he felt her relax, Ben rolled his hip experimentally, and Rey winced.

 

“Please, not so fast,” Rey huffed, her hands clenched on his shoulders, “It has been a long time.”

 

“How long?” Ben dumbly asked, and almost kicked himself for asking such a question.

 

Rey darted her eyes away, biting her lower lip, “Since I had Rian.”

 

Warmth filled his chest at her revelation. Ben looked at the woman in his arms, and his eyes sparkled with love and adoration. How precious she was, and how honored he was to be her chosen man. “Oh, Rey,” he kissed her lovingly, “I love you so much!”

 

Rey gasped as he kissed along her jaw, nibbling the soft skin of her neck and shoulders. Her body soon opened to him, responding pleasantly as Ben began to move inside her. He could feel Rey’s hands caressing his chest, his back, down to his ass, and he groaned when she squeezed it, urging him to move faster and deeper.

 

Her breasts bounced at the pace of his lovemaking. Rey squirmed as the pleasure started to build inside her again. His name on her lips over and over sounded like music to his ears. In the dim light of his room, Ben saw her face flush pink, and her plush lips parted and quivering as she was ascending into her climax.

 

He sought her hand and laced their fingers together as his pace became erratic. Rey squeezed his hand, hooking her legs around his waist. Another hand circled behind the nape of his neck and pulled him down, holding him tightly. 

 

Rey cried as she shattered, her whole body trembling furiously, her walls clenching so hard around him that it made him see stars. Feeling her pleasure, Ben let go of his control and chased his own release, following her to the reverie of their afterglow.

 

“I love you,” Rey sobbed, “I love you.”

 

“I know.” Ben kissed her again, pouring all of his love for her into the gesture, “Sweetheart, I know.”

  
  


* * *

 

**Epilogue**

 

_ Eight years later. _

 

“I can’t do it,” Rian Johnson said nervously.

 

“You can do it,” Ben said, leaning himself against the wall, “Come on. You’ve been practicing your routine for a countless amount of times. It’s gonna be great.”

 

“See?” He swung his arms in frustration, “I don’t know my body anymore. What are these arms and legs? I’m  _ too tall _ ! How come that the ground is so far away from my head? Even my voice isn’t the same!”

 

As a fifteen year old, Rian had abruptly grown, his height affecting his balance now when he moved on the ice. With an upcoming competition, he had practiced very hard to master control of the new body he was growing into.

 

“You’ve been working so hard on this, it’s going to be amazing!” Ben placed his hand on Rian’s shoulder, “Remember - most important thing - no matter what the result is, be proud of yourself, and we are so proud of you.”

 

Rian looked up at the man who was once his teacher, now his stepfather, his friend, and the love of his mother and their two little children. Time had treated Ben so kindly. There was threads of grey around his temples, but his hair was still as luxurious as always. After starting work as a NHL coach, Ben had to keep practicing his own drills, and that was pretty good for his health, too.

 

“The stage is yours,” Ben patted his stepson’s back as Rian’s name was announced, “Good luck.”

 

Moving to the center of the ice, Rian saw his family among the audience on the bleachers. Rey was fussing with Jacen’s scarf, while his brother’s attention kept alternating between the ice rink and a bucket of popcorn he was holding. His little sister, Jaina Solo, reached out her arms to her daddy as Ben took a seat beside Rey. He kissed his wife lovingly on her forehead, and she beamed at him.

 

His mother had gone through a lot, through a hopeless place, until she finally found someone to watch over her, to fall in love with her. Now, they had a place they could call home, and a family that was filled with love and joy.

 

Rian closed his eyes, and the arena went silent, waiting for the music to play.

 

With the first note that echoed throughout the building, and the first step of his foot - a new chapter of his life began.

  
  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hi to me on Twitter @erney007 and tumblr at [erney007](https://erney007.tumblr.com/)  
> Let me know what you think in the comment!  
> Thank you for enjoying our journey together. <3 <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thank again to my good friend and wonderful beta princess @MyJediLife. You have done magic again!


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